Containment device

ABSTRACT

A containment device is described which has been developed for use on stairlift chairs, but may have a variety of other applications. The containment device includes a belt ( 26 ) retractably wound onto a reel. The reel is, in turn, mounted in a carrier ( 28 ). In operation, the carrier ( 28 ) is displaced to a locking point, the act of displacement unwinding the belt from the reel. When the carrier ( 28 ) is locked in position the belt ( 26 ) is locked with respect to the reel. Other features, particularly relevant to stairlift applications, are described.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a containment device. Whilst the invention hasbeen developed, in particular, to provide a containment device in theform of a retractable belt for containing the user of a stairlift in astairlift chair, it will be appreciated that the containment device asdescribed and claimed herein could be used in a variety of applications.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Many practical applications involve the use of web or belt wound onto areel. Examples include motor vehicle safety belts, temporary crowdcontrol barriers and certain forms of load restraint. In all theseapplications, the reel section is fixed. In use, the free end of thebelt is drawn away from the reel section to unwind the belt from thereel. The free end of the belt is then fixed in position by, forexample, an interlocking buckle and socket, one component of which isfixed to the free end of the belt. A retracting mechanism is providedwithin the reel to rewind the belt onto the reel when the buckle/socketis released.

A containment device of the general type described, has been used onstairlifts to provide a means to contain the stairlift user in the chairof the stairlift, as the stairlift carriage moves up and down thestairlift rail. In the stairlift application, the particular type ofsafety belt used is commonly known as an ambulance belt. To activatethis type of device, the belt is drawn from the reel and a buckle,provided on the free end of the belt, inserted into a locking socket. Assoon as the action of drawing the belt from the reel is stopped or evenpaused, the position of the belt relative to the reel is locked; and thebelt cannot be drawn out any further. If the belt is not sufficientlyextended then the belt first has to released and allowed to re-wind onto the reel, to at least some extent, before being re-extended.

These existing stairlift applications, as described above, have a numberof drawbacks. Firstly the reel on the one hand, and the locking socketon the other, are typically mounted at opposite rear corners of thechair. This mounting arrangement thus allows the belt to extend acrossthe lap. As the typical stairlift user has limited mobility, it can beawkward for such a user to locate the reel somewhere behind his or herhip, draw the buckle out from the reel, and then locate the buckle inits locking socket located behind the opposite hip. As a consequenceusers often do not bother to use the safety belt.

A second drawback is that, if a user pauses whilst drawing the belt fromthe reel and passing the belt over the lap, the belt locks. Thus theuser has to let the belt retract, and start again. Again the fiddlynature of this process discourages use of the belt, particularly bythose whose dexterity is impaired.

Finally, the engagement of the buckle into its locking fixture can bequite fiddly, particularly if the operation has to be carried outunsighted as is typically the case in stairlift applications. Thisproblem is exacerbated if the user has limited manual dexterity, acharacteristic of arthritis sufferers who make up a significant body ofstairlift users.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a containment devicewhich will go at least some way to addressing the aforementioneddrawbacks; or which will at least provide a novel and useful choice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a containment deviceincluding a reel mounted for rotation in a reel carrier; a length of webwound onto, and fixed at one end to, said reel and having an oppositefree end, said restraint being characterized in that: said free end is,in use, fixed to an installation, said reel carrier being displaceablefrom the fixing point of said free end to unwind said web.

Preferably said reel carrier includes a fixing component thereonwherein, in use, said reel carrier may be engaged with a correspondingfixing component forming part of said installation.

Preferably said containment device further includes locking meansoperable to lock the position of said web or belt with respect to saidreel housing, said device being characterised in that the act ofengaging the fixing component of said reel carrier to the fixingcomponent of said installation causes said locking means to operate.

Preferably said reel is locked within said reel carrier.

Preferably said device further includes retraction means to re-wind saidbelt onto said reel.

Preferably said reel carrier includes a housing sized and shaped tolocate comfortably within a user's hand.

Preferably the point at which said belt enters and exits said reelcarrier is surrounded by a support member.

Preferably said support member has a degree of flexibility which is lessthan the flexibility of said belt.

In a second aspect the invention comprises a stairlift chair includingthe containment device as hereinbefore set forth.

Preferably said stairlift chair includes two spaced armrests, the freeend of said belt being attached to one of said armrests, and said reelhousing being removeably connectable to a fixing component attached tothe other of said armrests.

Preferably each of said armrests includes a forward edge and a rearedge, said containment device extending between points on said armrestscloser to the forward edges than said rear edges thereof.

Preferably the point of connection between said reel carrier and saidarmrest is within the sight of a stairlift user.

Preferably said stairlift chair includes a further belt configured to,in use, pass over a shoulder of a user, said further belt beingconnected to, or being adapted to connect to, said reel carrier.

In a third aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having a pairof spaced armrests and a containment device operable to, in use, retaina stairlift user within said chair, said chair being characterized inthat part of said containment is mounted on one of said armrests, andpart of said containment device, in use, removeably engages with theother of said armrests.

Preferably each of said armrests includes a forward edge and a rearedge, said containment device, in use, extending between points on saidarmrests closer to the forward edges than said rear edges thereof.

Preferably said containment device includes a reel carrier; a reelrotatably mounted within said reel carrier; and a belt wound onto saidreel and having a free end, wherein said free end is fixed to one ofsaid armrests and said reel carrier is removeably connectable to afixing component on the other of said armrests.

In a fourth aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having acontainment device, said containment device including a belt wound on areel and being extendible between a retracted configuration in whichsaid containment device does not inhibit movement of a user into or outof said chair, and an extended position in which said containment deviceinhibits the movement of said user from said chair, said containmentdevice being characterized in that the act of fixing said containmentdevice in said extended position fixes said belt with respect to saidreel.

Preferably said containment device further includes a reel carrier inwhich said reel is rotatably mounted, said containment device beingfurther characterized in that said reel carrier is moveable to saidextended position.

In a fifth aspect the invention provides a stairlift chair having acontainment device, said containment device including a fixingcomponent;

a reel carrier displaceable toward, and engageable with, said fixingcomponent;

a reel rotatably mounted within said reel carrier;

a first belt fixed to said reel for winding on to, and from, said reel;and

a second belt fixed at one end to said chair and at the other end tosaid reel carrier,

one of said first and second belts being configured to pass over the lapof a user and the other of said first and second belts being configuredto pass over a shoulder of a user.

In a sixth aspect the invention provides a stairlift including thestairlift chair and/or containment device as hereinbefore set forth.

Many variations in the way the present invention can be performed willpresent themselves to those skilled in the art. The description whichfollows is intended as an illustration only of one means of performingthe invention and the lack of description of variants or equivalentsshould not be regarded as limiting. Wherever possible, a description ofa specific element should be deemed to include any and all equivalentsthereof whether in existence now or in the future. The scope of theinvention should be limited by the appended claims alone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention, as applied to a stairlift, will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A: shows an isometric view of a stairlift installation fitted witha containment device according to the invention, in a firstconfiguration;

FIG. 1B: shows a similar view to FIG. 1A, but with the containmentdevice in a second configuration;

FIG. 2: shows an isometric view, from above and in larger scale thanFIG. 1, of the reel carrier of a containment device according to theinvention, in a fixed extended configuration;

FIG. 3: shows an isometric view, from underneath, of that which is shownin FIG. 2;

FIG. 4: shows a similar view to FIG. 3 but with the reel carrier in aposition just out of engagement;

FIG. 5: shows an isometric view, in a larger scale than FIGS. 2 to 4, ofa reel carrier in the fixed extended position, partly cutaway to showthe internal operation thereof;

FIG. 6: shows a similar view to FIG. 5 but with the reel carrierdisengaged from its fixing socket;

FIG. 7: shows an isometric view of further internal components of thereel carrier shown in FIGS. 2 to 6;

FIG. 8: shows an isometric view, from above, of a socket into which thereel carrier may locate to define a containment device according to theinvention;

FIG. 9: shows a cross-section though the connection between the reelcarrier and the socket.

Figures: show similar views to FIGS. 1A and 1B but showing an 10A & 10Badded containment component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WORKING EMBODIMENT

In its broadest aspect the invention provides a containment device whichhas, as its basis, a length of web or belt material wound on to arotatable reel. Such a containment device will be described in detailherein as applied to a stairlift chair. It should be appreciated,however, that a containment device as described herein could be appliedto many other applications including, but not limited to, crowd controland load retention.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a stairlift installation 10 isdepicted which includes a stairlift carriage 11 mounted on a stairliftrail 12 for movement up and down the rail. Mounted, in turn, on thecarriage 11 is a chair 13. In the conventional manner, the chair 13 hasa seating surface 14, a backrest 15 and a pair of spaced armrests 16 aand 16 b.

The installation 10 further includes a containment device which will bedescribed in greater detail below. Broadly, this containment devicetakes the form of a belt wound on a reel, the belt being extendible fromthe reel, and being connectable to a spaced connection point, to overliea stairlift user and prevent the user from unintentionally departingfrom the chair 13.

Heretofore, stairlift chairs have been provided with a containmentdevice in the form of a retractable seat belt, the seat belt reel beingmounted adjacent one rear corner 18 a of the seating surface 14, and thebelt buckle engaging a socket mounted adjacent the other rear corner 18b. Locating the belt components in positions 18 a and 18 b makes itdifficult for persons having limited movement, and particularly limitedmanual dexterity, to locate and fasten the seat belt. As a consequencethe seat belt is often not used.

Thus, in one aspect, the invention addresses the above drawback byproviding a containment device or seat belt which is mounted on, andextends between, the armrests 16 a and 16 b.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the seat belt assembly 20 is fixedto armrest 16 a and can be drawn across to engage with armrest 16 b.Further, it will be evident from FIGS. 1A and 1B that the assembly 20 ismounted closer to the forward ends 22 of the armrest than to the rearends. In this way the assembly 20 falls readily to the hand of a userseated in the chair 13 and is preferably within the sight of a user.Thus a user is encouraged to apply the seat belt and finds it relativelyeasy to do so.

Whilst, in the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a conventional seatbelt reel could be fixed to armrest 16 a and a conventional seat beltsocket applied to armrest 16 b, we have observed that conventional seatbelt arrangements can be fiddly to operate, particularly by personshaving impaired manual dexterity. It is not uncommon to find stairliftusers having impaired manual dexterity, particularly as a result ofsuffering from arthritis. To this end, we have devised a novel form ofcontainment device particularly suited for use by persons having limitedmanual dexterity. More particularly, we have devised a form of seat beltwhich, unlike the ambulance-type seatbelts used on stairlifts in thepast, does not lock the belt in position should the user pause whendrawing the belt from the reel.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 to 4, the present invention further provides acontainment device in which the free end 24 of the belt 26 is fixed toarmrest 16 a by means of anchor plate 25 (FIG. 4) whilst a reel carrierin the form of reel housing 28 (in which a reel with belt 26 woundthereon is housed) is displaceable between the armrests and can beengaged with fixing component 30 mounted on the armrest 16 b. Obviously,as the reel housing is displaced in the direction of the armrest 16 b,belt 26 is unwound from the reel. As will be described in greater detailbelow, the act of engaging reel housing 28 with the fixing component 30activates a locking mechanism which causes the belt 26 to be locked withrespect to the housing 28. Thus the belt provides an effective form ofcontainment.

When disengaged as shown in FIG. 1A, the reel housing hangs beneath thearmrest 16 a. When a user is seated in the chair 13, the user grasps thehousing, draws it across the body, and engages the housing with fixingcomponent 30.

It will be noted that the housing 28 has a tapered form and is shapedfor comfortable reception in the hand of a user. The width x of thehousing (FIG. 2) is approximately the width of the palm of a typicalhand (say 65 mm) and does not require the hand to be closed tightlyaround the housing for the housing to be manipulated into position. Ascan be seen, at the rear of the housing where the belt 26 enters andexits the housing, there may be provided a support member 32. Thissupport member 32 is in the form of a sleeve which surrounds part of thebelt 26. The support member 32 is preferably formed from a rubber orplastics material that has a degree of flexibility which issubstantially less than the flexibility of the belt 26. In somesituations, the presence of support member 32 may assist the task ofgrasping the housing 28 when in the disengaged configuration, and ofeffecting the connection with fixing component 30.

The principal connection between the reel housing 28 and the fixingcomponent 30 is preferably effected by means of a co-operating pin andsocket arrangement. In the particular form shown, the fixing componenthas an upwardly facing socket 34 (FIG. 8) whilst the reel housing 28 hasa downwardly projecting pin 36. As can best be seen from FIG. 9, boththe socket 34 and the pin 36 have downward tapers. Thus, as the pin 36first enters the socket 34, there is considerable clearance between thetwo components. This makes it easy for a user to effect the initialconnection. Once the initial connection has been made, the user merelyapplies downward pressure to the reel housing 28 to latch the twocomponents together. This latching action is achieved by the interactionof spring loaded latch 38 on the reel housing projecting beneath ledge39 formed in the fixing component 30. Release pads 40 mounted on thesides of the housing 28 provide the means by which the latching actionmay be released, the mechanism being described in greater detail below.

As stated above, apparatus of the type described herein will often beused by persons having restricted manual dexterity. Such persons mayhave difficulty manipulating the release pads 40 and, for that reason,the tops of the pads may be interconnected by a flexible strap 41 (FIG.2). In use, a user may slide his/her hand through the strap and thus beable to release the latching action without any finger manipulation ofthe pads 40.

A further advantage of the strap 41 is that it allows the reel housingto be readily grasped and positioned. Indeed, the inclusion of the strap41 may avoid the need to provide the support 32 of the rear of the reelhousing.

A particularly preferred aspect of the containment device describedherein is that, when the housing 28 is engaged with fixing component 30,locking means operate to lock the position of the belt 26 with respectto the housing 28. To this end, the reel housing 28 is further providedwith a displaceable projection 42, the projection engaging an uppersurface part 43 of the fixing component 30 as the housing 28 is engagedwith the component 30. As will be described in detail below,displacement of the projection 42 as the containment components areengaged, causes the reel to be locked against further rotation.

Turning finally to FIGS. 5 to 7, these figures show internal componentsof the reel housing 28 which perform the functions described generallyabove. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the internals of the reel housing 28include a main base plate 50 and a bottom plate 52, the plate 52 beingpositioned in relation to plate 50 by means of spacers 53. Reel 54, uponwhich belt 26 is wound, is rotatably mounted between the plates 50 and53. Preferably located within reel 54 is a retracting mechanism (notshown) which may be of any known or suitable form and could, forexample, comprise a torsion spring. Located above plate 50, but fixed toreel 54 to rotate therewith, is a gear wheel 56 having radiallyprojecting teeth 57 provided thereon.

Held against the underside of main plate 50 is the latching mechanismwhich holds the reel housing 28 in engagement with fixing component 30.As can be seen, latch 38 is defined at the lower end of latch arm 58,the latch arm being mounted, in turn, on cross bar 60. At the outer endsof the cross bar 60, and positioned at opposite sides of the assemblyshown in FIG. 7, are mounted substantially triangular plates 62, eachplate 62 having a tapered aperture 63 therein. Upon assembly of the reelhousing 28, projections (not shown) provided on the inner surfaces ofthe release pads 40, locate in the apertures 63 and thus allow the latch38 to be pivoted, about the axis of cross bar 60, by upward movement ofeither or both of the release pads 40.

The engagement pin 36 can be seen projecting from the underside of theplate 50 and may be formed integrally therewith. Provided within thebase plate 50, adjacent the position of the pin 36, is an aperture 65through which displaceable projection 42 projects.

Turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, the projection 42 is fixed to, or formed aspart of, the underside of moveable pawl 66, the pawl having a rearsection 67, from which projection 42 projects, and a front section 68having radially extending teeth 69 sized and arranged to mesh with theteeth 57 on gear wheel 56. The pawl 66 is pivotally mounted betweenbrackets 70 provided on the upper surface of base plate 50 and is biasedinto the position shown in FIG. 6, where the pawl 66 is disengaged fromgear wheel 56, by spring 72. Spring 72 acts between the pawl 66 and theunderside of the casing defining the finished outer surface of reelhousing 28. When the two sections of the containment device are engaged,the action of the projection 42 against the surface 43 causes the pawlto pivot into the position shown in FIG. 5 in which the teeth 67 meshbetween teeth 57 thus locking the reel 54 against rotation.

It is envisaged that the pawl 66 may further include an active or‘plastic’ hinge 74 to allow the reel housing 28 to be engaged with thefixing component 30 when the teeth 69 on the pawl overlie or clash with,the teeth 57 on gear wheel 56. The provision of the hinge 74 ensures adegree of bias is imposed by the teeth 69 on the gear wheel 56 and, whenthe belt 26 moves to even a small extent to allow the teeth 57 and 69 tomesh, they are indeed meshed.

The invention also envisages a more secure form of containment device inthe form of a three-point linkage. Referring to FIGS. 10A & 10B, chair13 may be provided with a further belt 75 configured to pass over theshoulder of a user. In the form shown, the one end of the further belt75 is attached to post 77, the post 77, in turn, projecting upwardlyfrom the chair backrest 15. The other end of further belt 75 is attachedto the real housing 28.

When the stairlift is not in use, as shown in FIG. 10A, the belt 26 isretracted within reel housing 28 and the reel housing 28 is suspendedbeneath the armrest 16 a. The further belt 75 hangs in a loop to thatside of the chair on which armrest 16 a is mounted.

When a user occupies the chair and draws reel housing 28 over to engagewith fixing component 30, the further belt 75 is drawn across the chestto give a greater degree of restraint than that offered by a singlebelt.

Whilst in the form shown, the belt 26 which passes over the lap, isshown mounted within the reel housing 28, conceivably the belt 75 couldbe the retractable belt and the belt 26 allowed to hang when thestairlift is not in use.

Whatever the form the containment device might take, it is envisagedthat an electrical interlock (not shown) may be included, either in thereel housing 28 and/or in the fixing component 20, to prevent thecarriage 11 being powered along the rail 12 when the containment deviceis not secured.

It will thus be appreciated that the present invention, at least in thecase of the working embodiment described herein, provides an effectivecontainment device which is particularly suitable for operation bystairlift users having limited manual dexterity but could also findready application in a variety of other fields.

1. A containment device including a reel mounted for rotation in a reelcarrier; a length of web wound onto, and fixed at one end to, said reeland having an opposite free end, said restraint being characterized inthat said free end is, in use, fixed to an installation, said reelcarrier being displaceable from the fixing point of said free end tounwind said web.
 2. A containment device as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid reel carrier includes a fixing component thereon wherein, in use,said reel carrier may be engaged with a corresponding fixing componentforming part of said installation.
 3. A containment device as claimed inclaim 2 further including locking means operable to lock the position ofsaid web or belt with respect to said reel housing, said device beingcharacterised in that the act of engaging the fixing component of saidreel carrier to the fixing component of said installation causes saidlocking means to operate.
 4. A containment device as claimed in claim 3wherein said locking means operates to lock said reel within said reelcarrier.
 5. A containment device as claimed in claim 1 further includingretraction means to retract said belt into said reel carrier.
 6. Acontainment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reel carriercomprises a housing sized and shaped to locate comfortably within auser's hand.
 7. A containment device as claimed in claim 1 wherein thepoint at which said belt enters and exits said reel carrier issurrounded by a support member.
 8. A containment device as claimed inclaim 7 wherein said support member has a degree of flexibility which isless than the flexibility of said belt.
 9. A stairlift chair includingthe containment device as claimed in claim
 1. 10. A stairlift chair asclaimed in claim 9 including two spaced armrests, the free end of saidbelt being attached to one of said armrests, and said reel carrier beingremoveably connectable to a fixing component attached to the other ofsaid armrests.
 11. A stairlift chair as claimed in claim 10 wherein eachof said armrests includes a forward edge and a rear edge, saidcontainment device extending between points on said armrests closer tothe forward edges than said rear edges thereof.
 12. A stairlift chair asclaimed in claim 11 wherein the point of connection between said reelcarrier and said armrest is within the sight of a stairlift user.
 13. Astairlift chair as claimed in claim 9 including a further beltconfigured to, in use, pass over a shoulder of a user, said further beltbeing connected to, or being adapted to connect to, said reel carrier.14. A stairlift chair having a pair of spaced armrests and a containmentdevice operable to, in use, retain a stairlift user within said chair,said chair being characterized in that part of said containment ismounted on one of said armrests, and part of said containment device, inuse, removeably engages with the other of said armrests.
 15. A stairliftchair as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said armrests includes aforward edge and a rear edge, said containment device, in use, extendingbetween points on said armrests closer to the forward edges than saidrear edges thereof.
 16. A stairlift chair as claimed in claim 15 whereinsaid containment device includes a reel carrier; a reel rotatablymounted within said reel carrier; and a belt wound onto said reel andhaving a free end, wherein said free end is fixed to one of saidarmrests and said reel carrier is removeably connectable to a fixingcomponent on the other of said armrests.
 17. A stairlift chair having acontainment device, said containment device including a belt wound on areel and being extendible between a retracted configuration in whichsaid containment device does not inhibit movement of a user into or outof said chair, and an extended position in which said containmentinhibits the movement of said user from said chair, said containmentdevice being characterized in that the act of fixing said containmentdevice in said extended position fixes said belt with respect to saidreel.
 18. A stairlift chair as claimed in claim 17 wherein saidcontainment device further includes a reel carrier in which said reel isrotatably mounted, said containment device being further characterizedin that said reel carrier is moveable to said extended position.
 19. Astairlift chair having a containment device, said containment devicehaving a fixing component; a reel carrier displaceable toward, andengageable with, said fixing component; a reel rotatably mounted withinsaid reel carrier; a first belt fixed to said reel for winding on to,and from, said reel; and a second belt fixed at one end to said chairand at the other end to said reel carrier, one of said first and secondbelts being configured to pass over the lap of a user and the other ofsaid first and second belts being configured to pass over a shoulder ofa user.
 20. A stairlift including a stairlift chair and a containmentdevice as claimed claim
 1. 21. A containment device as claimed in claim1 further including locking means operable to lock the position of saidweb or belt with respect to said reel housing, said device beingcharacterised in that the act of engaging the fixing component of saidreel carrier to the fixing component of said installation causes saidlocking means to operate.
 22. A stairlift chair as claimed in claim 10wherein the point of connection between said reel carrier and saidarmrest is within the sight of a stairlift user.
 23. A stairlift chairas claimed in claim 14 wherein said containment device includes a reelcarrier; a reel rotatably mounted within said reel carrier; and a beltwound onto said reel and having a free end, wherein said free end isfixed to one of said armrests and said reel carrier is removeablyconnectable to a fixing component on the other of said armrests.